Spraying cleaners down the steering column,

[pipeline010]

QQ for you guys.

My steering shafts is crazy squeeky, I opened it up a few weeks back and the horn cables were kinda sandwiched in a weird spot. Also the interior of the shafts was pretty gummy, which I assume was the cause of the pulling of the wires and the squeeze on turns. I put everything in the right spot and it was fine, but now back again.

Is this stuff safe to spray straight down the shafts after I get the wheel and plate off? It's alcohol based so I figured I could just spray and let it dry.

https://www.autozone.com/miscellane...rts-cleaner/crc-electronic-cleaner/128435_0_0

 

[DirtDonk]

I don't know about "safe" for certain, but there's not much down there to harm. I'm guessing it's designed to not deteriorate the outer jackets of electrical wires. So you should be ok as long as you don't soak things too much.

One reason I would be reluctant to use that stuff though is because it's just a light cleaner. Not a lubricant.
Not really meant to spray away 50 year old grease and re-lube bearings.

Seems to me that you need to re-lube the upper and lower bearings. And perhaps re-adjust the lower collar if yours is an early model column.
What year is your Bronco again? I thing before '76 they still used the sliding collar to tension things. But if your bearings are toast, then I'm not sure what spraying just a cleaner down there would do.
Can you tell exactly where the squeaking is coming from? Is it only when turning a certain way? Or all the time?
What happens when you spray WD40 down the holes? That should not hurt things either (other than maybe making a drippy mess) and being a light lubricant might stop things when you hit it just right.
Could be just temporary, but might help you narrow down the search for the squeak(s) inside the column.

The contact cleaner is an appropriate product for the turn signal and horn contacts perhaps, but not sure about the rest of the column.

Paul

 

[pipeline010]

thanks Paul.

I don't think it's the bearing, the noise was coming from way way up the shaft.

I hit it with some PB (what I had on hand) and it loosened everything up. It's turning clean now.

And, by the way, the wildhorses brake lines came in today and bolted in perfectly, no bending, great packaging. Top quality stuff.

 

[Skytrooper15]

I used to use CRC Electronic cleaner to clean the windings on electric motors and it did a great job of cleaning and left the insulation bone dry.As DirtDonk said it sounds like you need something to lube the bearings up after you clean the inside of the steering column but do take his advise as he knows more about Broncos than I ever will.

 

[75MIKE]

If you have an aftermarket steering wheel like a Grant, the horn contact plate may be rubbing on the plastic tower that holds the spring loaded contact that is part of your turn signal switch. I just had to shorten the tower about a 1/8 of inch with a Dremel to keep me from going crazier than I previously thought.

Yes, it is always something with these Bronco's. LOL

 

[Broncobowsher]

I just redid an older ford column. The wires were in a channel that kept them isolated from the shaft. If they were allowed to rub the shaft there would be tons of problems with people wearing holes through the wires.

There is the outer tube, a middle shift tube, and an inner steering shaft. The shaft is supported on bearings at each end and has no other contact with the column except the slip ring for the horn. There are 2 layers between the wire and the steering shaft (shift tube and wire guide inside the outer tube).

The spray cleaners may have cleaned out the bearings of grit and grease. Cleaning the grit is good, loosing the grease isn't.

 

[72Sport]

thanks Paul.

I don't think it's the bearing, the noise was coming from way way up the shaft.

I hit it with some PB (what I had on hand) and it loosened everything up. It's turning clean now.

And, by the way, the wildhorses brake lines came in today and bolted in perfectly, no bending, great packaging. Top quality stuff.

On the early Broncos 73 and earlier the top bearing is formed out of a piece of sheet metal. The bearing is in the turn signal switch mount. The bearing is like an open cup made out of sheet metal. It acts just like a cup and collects all the dirt, sand etc. It has either a plastic cone or a sheet metal cone for a center race in the bearing. Their is nothing to keep the dirt etc out of the bearing. You will probably have to remove the turn signal switch and wiring. The bearing can be removed with a socket, cleaned then re-installed in the turn signal switch mount. It will probably take about a half day.

 

[DirtDonk]

The PB (was it "Blaster" or one of their other products?) was probably good at both cleaning and a light lube. If the sounds come back, try something that leaves a nice film of lubricant for a longer time. Some of PB products do just that, so yours might be one of them. If so, that's perfect.

Spray lubes can be a bit messy, so doing it the way 72Sport and Broncobowsher said is probably best over the long haul. But nothing wrong with doing it your way either if it works, that I can see.

Paul